This invention is directed generally to the automotive arts and more particularly to a novel and improved headlamp mounting assembly.
Automobile and other automotive vehicle headlamps are generally provided as separately mounted sealed beam type lamps which are separately adjustable by adjusting screws or other similar adjustment assemblies. These headlamps are required to be adjusted upon assembly with a vehicle to assure proper aiming of the headlamp beams relative to both horizontal and vertical axes. Often, the adjusting screws or like members are accessible only upon removal of certain trim or bezel components. Other problems were often encountered in that the adjusting screws would become corroded or fouled with rust, road grime and the like, rendering the adjustment procedure time consuming and difficult.
Modern headlamp assemblies have now been proposed which utilize an integral headlamp assembly comprising a housing which contains the necessary headlamp components. With the introduction of more aerodynamically efficient vehicle body shapes, the headlamps have been designed to fit the body contour more closely, rendering older, sealed beam type arrangements with exterior adjustments, bezels and the like, obsolete.
Accordingly, it has been proposed to utilize an adjusting mechanism for the headlamps which is designed to be mounted primarily interiorly of the vehicle, mounting the headlamp housing portion to a vehicle frame member. These modern headlamp adjusting mechanisms are arranged to be easily and readily operated to adjust both horizontal and vertical positioning or aiming of the light beam.
One such prior art arrangement is in the form of a plastic housing into which a pair of crown or bevel gear members are mounted, one gear member being affixed to an elongate shaft which is coupled through other components to the headlight assembly, and the other gear being coupled to an elongate shaft which may be rotated utilizing a hand tool, or by motorized assembly if desired. The adjusting shaft rotates with its associated beveled gear and is coupled to the headlamp housing such that rotation of the adjusting gear will produce a pivoting or tilting movement of the headlamp housing in the horizontal or vertical direction a required.
A number of headlamp mounting arrangements have been proposed for mounting the headlamp in a pivotally movable or floating condition about both vertical and horizontal axes to accommodate the necessary movement thereof for aiming in response to such an adjustment device, while maintaining the headlamp housing firmly affixed in the desired location relative to the vehicle frame member. One such arrangement has been proposed utilizing snap-in ball joint type of assemblies for mounting the headlamp to the frame member. Such an assembly is shown for example is U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,088. However, with the development of a number of different vehicle bodies and assemblies requiring different headlamp shapes and styles, a number of different adjustment mechanisms have been developed and modified over successive models and years, such that it is difficult or impossible to propose but a single assembly for use in all such vehicles.
Moreover, the provision of ball joint type connectors gives rise to a number of other problems regarding the proper secure mounting of such connectors, as well as the relative expense of manufacturing and providing the necessary ball and socket type connectors in relatively inexpensive mass produced form. Moreover, a number of difficulties have been encountered in providing suitable mechanisms and means for mounting the ball receiving socket components at the necessary points in the vehicle frame and/or the headlamp assembly to reliably receive and hold the mating ball so as to achieve the desired adjustable mounting arrangement.
As an additional matter, headlamp mounting schemes heretofore utilized have generally required a number of different components for providing the necessary pivotal or movable mounting of the headlamp assembly to permit both horizontal and vertical adjustment, while holding the same in a fixed and rigid condition once the adjustment is accomplished. Moreover, such mounting members must provide not only for the desired adjustment, but also maintain a relatively rigid coupling in all other possible planes or directions of motion, while yet permitting the desired vertical and horizontal tilting or pivoting motion for aiming. Accordingly, the prior art has provided a number of mounting mechanisms, some of which provide mounting at given points or locations on the headlamp assembly, and others of which provide the necessary adjustment forces by means of movable shafts, gears and the like as discussed above, for coupling with other suitable points or locations of the headlamp assembly.
Briefly, it is an object of the present invention to provide novel and improved means for mounting a headlamp assembly to a vehicle frame and for accomplishing the desired adjustment of the same for achieving the desired aiming of the headlamp beam. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a plurality of cooperating mounting and adjustment members and assemblies for achieving this desired adjustable mounting of a headlamp assembly relative to a vehicle frame.